Celtic Manor – Ryder Cup destination stands the test of time
There will always be a special place in my heart for Celtic Manor. It was here that I covered my first and most memorable Ryder Cup for The Times newspaper, where I stood on the 18th green, soaked in champagne, as Team Europe danced with delight after another epic battle against their American counterparts. These are memories that will never fade. And yet, that is a theme because every time I visit Celtic Manor Golf Resort I make new ones, lasting ones. My first visit to this magnificent Welsh resort came in 1999. I was working in the film business…
A round with Rory McIlroy (kind of) in beautiful Killarney
The voice on the other end of the line went quiet while I took it all in – “we want you to come and play in the Irish Open Pro-Am at Killarney Golf Club.” “Some big names are playing this year and if you’re open to it, we’ll try and get you a round with Rory.” The words wouldn’t come. How do you respond? How could any golfer refuse the chance to play alongside the best players in the world on the Killeen Course at Killarney Golf Club – truly the stuff of dreams. The flight into Shannon was straightforward.…
Sunningdale Old Course: is there a better golf course in England?
Bobby Jones hit the nail on the head when he said of Sunningdale Old Course, “I wish I could take it home with me.” It may be the only thing he and I have in common but I certainly share that sentiment as I step off the 18th green after a round I’d be happy to repeat every day for the rest of my life. When you receive the invitation to visit Sunningdale, the feeling is comparable to the excitement you feel as a 5-year-old on Christmas Eve: you know you are in for something very special, you hope the…
Fulford Golf Club: made famous by Bernhard Langer but wonderful
It was an iconic image which travelled around the world: Bernhard Langer, with a shock of blonde hair, at Fulford Golf Club playing from a tree 10ft off the ground. It was a moment in time. A moment of golf history that put this Yorkshire club firmly on the map and ensured it would always be associated with that image – I grew up dreaming of playing there. Perhaps it was that image of Langer, or the 23 successive years during the 1970s and 80 that it hosted the Benson & Hedges Championship, a prestigious European Tour event. Winners included Greg Norman,…